Shipping Labels
June 26, 2026
Summary
Buy, manage, print, and automate shipping labels in Flxpoint through its ShipEngine integration - rate shop across carriers and purchase labels directly on fulfillment requests. Covers requirements, the purchase flyout, bulk printing, Vendor Portal sharing, automation, and carrier-specific label fields.
Flxpoint integrates with ShipEngine so you can rate shop across multiple carriers and buy shipping labels directly inside Flxpoint — without working with each carrier individually. This page covers buying, managing, printing, and automating labels. To set up your ShipEngine connection, see the ShipEngine & Flxpoint guide.
Rate shop & buy
Compare carrier rates and purchase a label on an Unprocessed FR/FO, all in one flyout.
Manage & void
View, download, void, and attach labels after purchase. Void actions are logged in Order Status History.
Bulk print
Select multiple fulfillment requests and print labels together from the Orders list.
Automate
Auto rate shop, purchase, attach, and create shipments through fulfillment request strategies.
What you need to buy a label
A label purchase is validated before it can complete. Make sure these are in place first.
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| ShipEngine account | An active ShipEngine account with at least one connected carrier account, linked to Flxpoint using your ShipEngine credentials. |
| From / To addresses | Both addresses must include Address, City, State, Postal Code, Country, First Name, Last Name, and Phone. Missing fields block the purchase. |
| Ship date | Defaults to today; can be changed in the flyout. |
| Items & quantities | Specify which line items and how many are included in the shipment. |
| Package & weight | Package dimensions and packed weight. Items with weights contribute to the calculated total. |
| Shipping method mapping | The source must have at least one shipping method mapped to a carrier connected through ShipEngine (a Global Shipping Carrier Method). |
Purchasing a shipping label
Labels are tied to Unprocessed Fulfillment Requests / Orders (FR/FOs). From the FR/FO, click Actions → Buy Shipping Label to open the flyout, then:
- Review & edit addresses. The "From" address auto-populates from the Source address; the "To" address from the FR/FO shipping address. Editing either here changes only the label. The flyout flags any missing required address fields.
- Set the ship date (defaults to today) and optionally enable auto-create shipment using the label's tracking information.
- Set line-item quantities. Adjust quantities or remove items. Item weights feed the package weight estimate.
- Add a package. Click Add Package and select a default carrier package (the source must have a method tied to a Global Shipping Carrier Method), or create/reuse a custom package under the Custom Packaging tab. Total weight recalculates on selection. A package is required before checking rates.
- Check rates. Click Check Rates to rate shop across available Global Source Shipping Methods, then click Add Method on your chosen option.
- Add insurance & delivery confirmation. Default is "No insurance required"; you can choose ParcelGuard or Carrier Insurance. Then pick a delivery confirmation method.
- Finalize. Set the label size if needed (default
4"x6"), click Buy Shipping Label to review the preview, and confirm. After purchase you choose a format — PDF, PNG, or ZPL — to attach to the FR/FO.
Managing, printing & sharing labels
| Task | How |
|---|---|
| View / download | Use the Manage Shipping Labels action on the FR/FO. A "Label Purchased" badge appears once a label exists. |
| Void a label | Void from the same action if needed. Void events are recorded in Order Status History. |
| Attach to email integrations | Use the Add Attachment option to attach the label. |
| Bulk print | Go to Orders → Fulfillment Requests, check the requests you want, click Print, and choose the shipping label option. |
| Vendor Portal access | Once an FR/FO is processed with a purchased label, the label is automatically available to your vendor — no manual attachment needed. With auto-create enabled, the shipment and tracking appear under Fulfillments. |
Automating shipping labels
Through a fulfillment request strategy, Flxpoint can rate shop and buy labels automatically. Prerequisites: products must have dimensions (width, length, weight), your ShipEngine account must be connected with sufficient funds, shipping labels enabled, and packing/carrier preferences set.
| Automation feature | What it does |
|---|---|
| Auto rate shop & purchase | Automatically rate shops and buys the shipping label for matching fulfillment requests. |
| Failure notifications | Email alerts when the automation fails. Enable at Global Settings → Notifications → Automate Shipping Label Failure. |
| Auto package attachments | Automatically attaches labels and/or packing slips to the FR. Set per source under Fulfillment Requests → strategy → enable auto-attachment. Supported only for file-based, HTML, or PDF integrations. |
| Create shipment from label | Auto-creates a shipment after a label is auto-purchased and the FR is processed or acknowledged. Does not apply to manually purchased labels. |
Custom messaging on labels
You can map Flxpoint fields (e.g. Fulfillment Request Number, Order ID, Order Reference Number) onto carrier reference fields at Global Settings → Orders → Shipping Labels using the Shipping Carrier Custom Label Fields toggle. Rules can be added to each field to modify the mapped value.
| Carrier | Available reference fields & limits |
|---|---|
| UPS | Customer Reference (REF) — 35 characters |
| USPS | Reference 1, Reference 2, Reference 3 — 60 characters each |
| FedEx | CA & US Customer Reference (REF) — 35 characters; Purchase Order Number (PO) — 35 characters |
| DHL Express | Customer Reference (REF) — 35 characters |
| OnTrac | Reference 1, Reference 2 — 25 characters each |
Non-obvious gotchas
Changing declared value after rate shopping resets your carrier
Declare Package Value auto-calculates as the total line item cost times quantity. If you change it after rate shopping, the previously selected carrier/method is removed and you must re-select a shipping option before the label can be purchased.
Removing the package clears your selections
A package is mandatory before checking rates. If you remove the package, the system clears the selected carrier/method, delivery confirmation, and estimated rate — you'll need to re-add a package and rate shop again.
Estimated rate excludes carrier-specific fees
The Estimated Rate shown during rate shopping does not include carrier-specific surcharges. As one example, selecting the Delivery Mailed option for UPS adds an extra
$2 to the estimate.Custom label fields are gated behind a feature flag
The Shipping Carrier Custom Label Fields toggle is not visible by default. It must be turned on by Flxpoint Support before it appears in Global Settings. Reach out to your Customer Success Manager or open a support ticket to request access.
Common issues
Missing address-field errors when opening the flyout
The flyout validates required address fields on open. Fill in any flagged Address, City, State, Postal Code, Country, First Name, Last Name, or Phone on the From/To address until the errors clear, then continue.
"Check Rates" returns nothing or no method is selectable
Confirm a package has been added and that the source has a shipping method mapped to a Global Shipping Carrier Method connected via ShipEngine. Rate shopping only returns Global Source Shipping Methods.
Carrier selection disappeared before purchase
This happens after changing the declared package value or removing the package post rate-shop. Re-add the package if needed, click Check Rates, and select your method again.
Automated label purchase failed
An error during automated rate shopping or purchase shows a notification on the fulfillment request; the FR logs have details. Confirm products have dimensions and the ShipEngine account has sufficient funds. Enable failure email alerts at
Global Settings → Notifications → Automate Shipping Label Failure.Custom label fields don't show up in settings
The Shipping Carrier Custom Label Fields toggle is feature-flagged off by default. Ask Flxpoint Support (via your CSM or a ticket) to enable it for your account.
Reference value got cut off on the printed label
Carrier reference fields have character limits (e.g. UPS REF 35, USPS Reference 60). Values exceeding the limit are automatically truncated when the label is generated.
FAQs
Which FR/FOs can I buy a label for?▸
Shipping labels are associated with Unprocessed Fulfillment Requests / Orders. Open the FR/FO, scroll to the FR/FO section, and use
Actions → Buy Shipping Label.What label formats can I download?▸
After purchase you can attach the label to the FR/FO as PDF, PNG, or ZPL. The default label size is
4"x6" and can be changed before purchase.Does the estimated rate match what I'll actually pay?▸
Not always. The Estimated Rate does not include carrier-specific fees. For example, the UPS Delivery Mailed option adds
$2 to the estimate.Can vendors create their own labels through the Vendor Portal?▸
Yes. Go to Sources → Vendors, select the vendor, scroll to Allow Vendors to Create Shipping Labels, enable the toggle, and click Update. The vendor can then use Buy Shipping Label and Manage Shipping Labels on their fulfillment requests; a shipment is created automatically when they purchase a label.
Why won't auto-create shipment work on my manual labels?▸
Create Shipment From Shipping Label applies only to labels that were auto-purchased through automation, once the FR is processed or acknowledged. It does not apply to labels you buy manually.
Why was my custom reference field shortened on the label?▸
Each carrier reference field has a character limit (UPS REF 35, USPS Reference 1/2/3 at 60, FedEx REF/PO 35, DHL Express REF 35, OnTrac Reference 1/2 at 25). Any value exceeding the limit is automatically truncated when the label is generated.